Volunteer for-hire charter boat inspections catching on

Captain John Rainone (left) of L’il Toot Charters, Point Judith is inspected by Captain Nick Butziger, Commander of the North Star Flotilla of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. A volunteer program to provide examination stickers for Uninspected Passenger Vessels (UPV) started in August, 2011.

Volunteer for-hire charter boat inspections catching on

Captain Arnold (Nick) Butziger has been involved with boating safety just about all his adult life. He is the Commander of the North Star Flotilla of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and has organized and taught boating safety programs for Rhode Islanders since the early 70’s. However, for the past several years Captain Butziger has turned his attention to a new program. A program that he and a few colleagues started in August, 2011 for Coast Guard sector “Southeast New England”. It is the first of its type from Maine to New Jersey. It is a program that aims to provide examinations and examination stickers to for-hire Uninspected Passenger Vessels (UPV).

Uninspected Passenger Vessels (UPV) are commercial vessels allowed to carry one to no more than six passengers for-hire. Charter fishing boats and sailing characters are examples of Uninspected Passenger Vessels. Inspected vessels are commercial vessels allowed to carry over six passengers for-hire. These vessels are required to be inspected by the Coast Guard. Examples are tour boats and party fishing boats that carry a large number of anglers (over six passengers).

I asked Captain Butziger why he has dedicated so much of his life to boating safety and how the new UPV examinations work. Here is what he had to say.

“In May of 1973 we had a charter boat called the Comet that sank off the cost of Rhode Island. It was a sad day, 16 people died. This impacted me greatly. It made me think that something has to be done to ensure boating and charter fishing safety. So ever since then it has been a goal of mine to advocate for boating safety… in order to save lives.”

Why should consumers care about vessels that have received UPV Examination stickers?
The sticker demonstrates to consumers in the for-hire or charter industry that the owner of the vessel took the time to be inspected, validating that his/her vessel met all requirements. Captain Butziger said, “The examination and sticker benefits the vessel owners/captains too, in that they can make the claim that their vessel has been inspected by a qualified examiner and meets all Federal Regulations. The sticker is good for two years.” said Captain Butziger.

Consumers should care about vessels that have UPV stickers because the sticker means the vessel (such as charter fishing vessel you hire to take you fishing) has been inspected by the Coast Guard (or more than likely by the Coast Guard Auxiliary) and meets all specific regulations contained in the Code of Federal Regulation pertaining to such vessels. Boats without the sticker have to meet the same regulations, however, the sticker means that the vessel has been inspected and that at the time of inspection the vessel was in compliance with regulations.

Who is issuing UPV examinations/stickers?
Captain Nick Butziger said, “We now have six certified examiners with twenty additional now being trained.” The need is growing quickly. “There are over 500 vessels that can potentially be inspected in the Coast Guard Sector “Southeast New England.”, said Butziger.

What types of items are examined during inspection?
As noted above, all Unexpected Passenger Vessels must meet regulations contained in the Code of Federal Regulations pertaining to such vessels. Items include proper type I life jackets for all passengers, appropriated fire safety equipment and extinguishers, safety equipment such as flares, whistles and/or horns, captain and crew certifications, proper licenses, participation in a random drug testing program as well as a host of other inspection items. Each UPV examination takes about two hours.
For a detailed list of requirements and for more information about the UPV examination program visit www.NorthStarFlotilla.com and click on UPV.

Where’s the bite
Striped bass fishing is excellent in the Bay. Phil Matteson of Breachway Bait & Tackle reports good fishing at Ninigret Pond, Charlestown, RI as the worm hatch continues with school bass being taken off the Breachway using plastic baits. A few angles are targeting large bass with eels but activity has been slow. Steve MCGonagle reports good fishing in the Providence River Sunday near the crane and cargo ships using live Menhaden. “(We caught) four fish over 28” with the biggest a fat 36”. We keep two with many more run offs with no hook sets.” Roger Lema reports fishing around Hope Island, “When I was due south (fairly close to the island and rock outcrop), the depth went from 27 feet to 13 as I went over the rock there. I got a real nice 31" striper… then trolled along Prudence Island … About the time I made the turn into (Pine Hill) cove (18 feet of water) I hooked into a 33 1/2" striper… The fish at Hope was feeding on baby scup and the one at Prudence was feeding on Mantis shrimp and crabs. Both fish were caught on a 9ER blue and white shad umbrella rig which was pretty beat up.” Mary Dangelo of Maridee Canvas Bait & Tackle, Narragansett said,”Customers continue to catch school bass along the shore with anglers having good luck along the wall at the State Beach near George’s Restaurant in Galilee.” Ken Landry of Ray’s Bait & Tackle, Warwick said Sunday he fished with Captain Steve Anderson of Bare Bones Charters. Ken said, “We trolled Marylyn style jigs around the Ohio Ledge area and landed eight keeper bass in a short amount of time the largest was 34”. Bob Oberg fished the Fields Point to Providence Point area in his kayak this weekend. Bob said, “Caught 17 stripers with seven keepers. Nicest fish included two 33", a 34" and a 39". Longest fish was surprisingly fat for this time of year, estimated 28 pounds. All fish caught trolling tube and worm.”

Tautog fishing is fair. Mary Dangelo of Maridee Canvass Bait & Tackle said, “Customers caught some nice tautog off Black Point Narragansett this week.” Ken Landry of Ray’s Bait & Tackle said anglers are catching tautog if the upper reaches of the Providence River around the bulkheads and piers.

Fluke (summer flounder) fishing is slow. Few anglers are targeting fluke at this time. Those fishing Warwick Neck, Austin Hollow and the bridge areas are catching very few keepers at this time.

Bluefish are in and have been for a couple of weeks. They are being caught throughout the Bay mixed in with striped bass. Jim Mead said, “I got a six pound bluefish at Chepiwonoxet beach… It was nearly low tide but this one came by and ate my squid.”

Get you gear ready for big fish

Tommy Pelto of Tiverton, RI with one of the striped bass he caught this Saturday when fishing in the upper reaches of the Providence River.  Tom said, “There were tons of pogies in the Providence River.”

Get your gear ready

You might say, “I just use this rig for school bass, the small ones, so the line is fine.” However, you can’t pick the time when a big fish hits. So make sure your gear is in good working order at the start of the season and throughout the year.

The experts suggest checking all reels, rods and line before the season starts and do regular maintenance throughout the season. Replace line, repair line guides on rods and perform reel maintenance twice a season if necessary, particularly on those rigs that get a lot of action.

So, to make sure I do not lose a big fish, I perform the following maintenance routine before the season starts. To paraphrase Vince Lombardi the great football coach who said football games are won in the summer when training is done… big fish are caught in the winter when proper maintenance is done.

Reel maintenance

George Poveromo, host of George Poveromo’s World of Saltwater Fishing said, “As a rule of thumb, a reel should be brought to an authorized reel center at least once a year.” And, with reels that get a lot of action, perhaps twice a year.

Give your reels a good cleaning, particularly when the line is off. Grease where directed by manufacturer, often times, the reel is marked where to do this. If instructions are long gone do not hesitate to stop by your local bait or tackle shop to ask where to grease. Do not grease the drag, it is not meant to be greased, if you do, it will not work. John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle, Riverside, RI, said, “Anglers often forget to put oil on the line guide worm gear on bait caster reels as this is can go a long way allowing the gear to perform properly throughout its lifetime.” It costs about $10 to $15 to clean and grease your average spinning reel.

Check the RISAA website at www.risaa.org for member bait and tackle shops that repair reels, many of them appear on the member discount landing page.

Line

Each year, replace used line. This is a judgment call as to what is meant by “used”. The braid line I spooled on two rigs at the end of the season is still ok, however, I took line off at the beginning of the reel that was showing signs of wear. Experts say a to cross braid line when spooling onto conventional reels to prevent the line from digging into the spool when a big fish is on. Another tip is to re-spool lead line putting the used portion on the reel first, this way you use line that is new as most anglers rarely use more than three to four colors (90’ to 120’) of line. Replace all the monofilament line on reels at the start of the season. Monofilament line has memory so it tangles easily and creates bird nest tangles when it is old or has been sitting in the cold for a while. Also stretch the line, the first 100 feet (of monofilament line) to relax its memory and avoid tangles. When you change any type of line it is important to spool tight or the line may slip on the spool.

Rods

Examine the rods for cracks and stress marks. Closely examine the eyes for chips or cuts that could cause line to snag, rub or break. Do not place hooks on the eyes or they will eventually create cracks that will cut line as it passes through. Place all baits at the base of the reel as those hooked to an eye brace will bang on the rod and may cause microscopic cracks in the rod blank that could lead to a broken rod..

Tackle

I get tackle ready in chronological order when certain species are fished… starting with tautog, striped bass, blue fish, fluke, sea bass, etc. I then go through tautog rigs first, then the striped bass, etc. Make sure you have enough rigs to fish the species. Hooks should be clean and sharp (no rust), and strong enough for the size fish you are going after. Often hooks that come with lures are not quality hooks so I replace them with stronger hooks.

Leaders/Hooks

Use wire leaders for blue fish and monofilament or fluorocarbon for striped bass, fluke, sea bass, etc. Blues won’t bite though the wire and other species will find it harder to see the monofilament or fluorocarbon leaders. As a rule I replace all used leaders at the beginning of the season. During the season make sure leaders have no nicks or stress marks from fish pulling. If they do, replace them. I switched most of my hooks to circle hooks, I did this so I can safely catch and release undersized or unwanted fish (particularly striped bass). Circle hooks are designed to hook the fish at the corner of the mouth and not down in the belly. All hooks should be sharp and rust free.



Menhaden board votes to reduce catch limits

Menhaden purse seine skiffs of the FV TIDELAND in the Chesapeake Bay near Reedville, Virginia. Vessels like these are owned by Omega Protein, a fish reduction company, that many say is a monopoly as they are responsible for harvesting 80% of all menhaden on the east coast.

Menhaden Board votes to reduce catch limits
Last week the menhaden won. They won because the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) Menhaden Board voted to reduce the amount of menhaden that can be caught. The ASMFC regulates commercial and recreational fishing on a coast wide basis. This action is expected to put an end to overfishing and allow the species to reach sustainable levels.
Menhaden are used by recreational anglers as bait for striped bass and are harvested commercially for use as bait in lobster pots, sold to bait shops, etc. However, 80% of all Atlantic coast menhaden are harvested by one reduction industry company, Omega Protein of Reedville, Virginia. Last year Omega harvested 404 million pounds of menhaden for use in pet food, live stock feed, fertilizer and fish oil pills.
Over that past month the ASMFC held several public comment hearings up and down the Atlantic coast on menhaden asking for comment on several menhaden regulation options including one for status quo (no change) to as much as a 45% reduction.
The menhaden committee first voted on a new threshold. Steve Medeiros, president of the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (Rhode Island’s largest recreational fishing association with over 6,500 members) said, “(RISAA advocated) to change the threshold to 15% of Maximum Spawning Potential (MSP). This means if the mature population of menhaden falls below 15% it will be considered overfished.” Over 91,000 individuals and organizations commented in favor of a 15% threshold and only 35 said “Status Quo”.
The second issue was the establishment of a new management target. Medeiros said this means, “How much of the mature fish must be left in the water… the result was a unanimous vote to approve a 30% target which was exactly what we hoped for.”
The next steps for the ASMFC Menhaden Board will be is to recommend ways to achieve the new goals. Regulations similar to the ones in force here in Rhode Island for State menhaden regulations are some of tools ASMFC fish managers will be considering. Regulations relating to boat size and gear, allowed, aerial stock assessments by plane and helicopter, etc.
The vote was a great win for recreational anglers, conservationists and and most of all the menhaden.

New wind turbine for Fishermen’s Memorial State Park
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management cut the ribbon on a new, 100 kW wind turbine at Fishermen’s Memorial State Park and Campground in Narragansett this past Monday. The 117-foot, Northwind 100 kW wind turbine will supply about half of the electrical needs for this popular state park and campground each year. The wind turbine and accompanying online “green energy dashboard,” will show the amount of clean energy being produced at Fishermen’s Memorial and will be available to campers and the general public beginning next spring.
DEM’s Marine Fisheries Division holds public hearing
The Marine Fisheries Division of DEM held a public hearing on Wednesday, November 9 at the University of Rhode Bay Campus in Narragansett. DEM took public comment on a variety of items including commercial summer flounder, scup and black sea bass quota management options. Public comments were also taken on a cod fillet law. Public comment seemed to be in support of the third option presented which was to allow filleting of cod at sea with the retention of cod carcasses so law enforcement can make sure recreational anglers are adhering to minimum size requirements. All species management options will go before the Rhode Island Marine Fisheries Council for consideration.
Where’s the bite
Tautog fishing was fair this week as anglers had difficulty getting out and fishing with high winds and seas. The Seven B’s, a party boat out of Galilee, RI reported good fishing early in the week with several customers limiting out with a nine pound tautog taken Monday. Ken Ferrara of Ray’s Bait & Tackle, Warwick, said, “Customers are fishing at the Coddington Cove, Middletown jetty outside and inside the jetty when Coast Guard vessels are not docked there.” Sunday there were fifteen boats fishing the jetty early in the day with most boats leaving as winds picked up to 25 to 30 miles per hour. A quick current and high winds make fishing difficult. Francis Fleet party boat captains out of Pt. Judith, Narragansett reported a fair day of tautog fishing this past Sunday with the largest fish weighing in at seven pounds.
Cod fishing is picking up as the water cools and black sea bass fishing is good. Francis Fleet cod anglers landed all their cod in the first hour of the day Sunday and then the bite was off. The largest cod was fifteen pounds, however, anglers caught at least six black sea bass each.
Striped bass are migrating and on the move, so either you’re on them or not. Shore angler Dave Pickering and his sons landed up to two-hundred school bass this week along southern coastal beaches using Cocahoe Minnow and a variety of swim baits. Isolated reports of anglers landing bass in the Narragansett Bay and the bass site on Block Island has softened said Captain Rick Bellavance.

Menhaden hot topic at ASMFC this month

Rich Golembeski with two of the tautog (the largest was 8.5 pounds) that he caught near Whale Rock in Narragansett last week.

Menhaden fishing vessel EARL J. CONRAD, JR. owned by Omega Protein Corporaton idling near seine skiffs of the FV TIDELAND in the Chesapeake Bay near Reedville, Virginia

Menhaden hot topic at ASMFC this month
So who gets the menhaden... the recreational angler, the commercial bait fisherman, the large commercial reduction processor or… the ecosystem and striped bass that eat it as a primary food source?
Being a fish manager is difficult. It is difficult because you have a lot of interests vying for the same resource and when the resource is scare (or on the decline) the challenges get all the more difficult. That is what is happening to Atlantic Menhaden and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) this month.
After a month of public hearings up and down the east coast, the ASMFC closed its comment period November 2, 2011 on Atlantic Menhaden Draft Addendum V which entertains regulation revisions on menhaden. The species, according to 2008 data, and 2010 fish landings is being over fished, new survey data will be available in 2012.
Fishing thresholds and harvest levels are being considered as well as a range of tools to manage the species for all those vying for menhaden. Proposed regulation options have created quite a stir in fishing circles. Recreational anglers have mobilized and attended the ASMFC November 2 meeting in mass. They claim menhaden play a large role in the ecosystem… as a primary food source for bluefish, weakfish and striped bass but also as filter feeders helping to reduce nitrate levels in our bays and estuaries.
Recreational anglers including the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA) and the national Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) and the environmental community (such as the PEW Environment Group) claim that the decline of menhaden on the east coast (now at 10% of what it used to be) can be attributed primarily to the reduction processing industry. Specifically they have singled out Omega Protein Corporation of Reedville, VA and Houston, TX as the primary culprit. They claim that the reduction industry (with Omega Protein Corporation holding a monopoly) took 27% more fish in 2010 than they did in 2009 and overall the fishery has been fished over quota for the past fifty years. In fact, PEW planned to run an ad in the Providence Journal this week encouraging Governor Lincoln Chaffee and the Rhode Island ASMFC delegation to support and vote for tougher menhaden catch regulations.
The reduction industry (and Omega Protein Corporation) have large capacity “primary” holding ships, a fleet of airplanes that find fish for their fishing vessels, and smaller purse seine net vessels. Purse seine nets allow them to take large numbers of fish (entire schools in a matter of minutes). The purse seine net has been around for over a 150 years. The net is set by surrounding a school of fish, enclosing the lower end of the net (pursing) and then unloading the fish onto a boat. Advocates ask that vessel and gear restrictions be explored as well as reduced thresholds and quotas for the reduction industry. They are concerned that once menhaden start to bounce back, quotas will be increased and the downward cycle will begin again. The historic low numbers of fish and menhaden’s importance to the ecosystem are being cited as reason to develop regulations that restrict the reduction industry and other menhaden user groups as well.
The importance of menhaden to the ecosystem was brought to light in the Chesapeake Bay recently as malnourished striped bass (that did not get enough menhaden because they were overfished in the Chesapeake) developed a disease, mycobacteriosis, which led to a decline in healthy fish up and down the east coast (visit http://www.noflukefishing.blogspot.com/ and search “mycobacteriosis” for more information).
The recreational angler uses menhaden for bait (to catch striped bass, either live or cut up in chunks). The commercial bait fishers sell their catch to lobstermen who use it as bait for their traps, they also sell their catch to bait shops, and the commercial reduction industry (primarily Omega Protein Corporation here on the east coast with its monopoly) process menhaden for use as fertilizers, pet food, animal and human dietary supplements and for human consumption of omega-3 fish oil. These are all good uses.
However, it is hoped that fish managers and the ASMFC will consider the ecosystem first as the primary concern… protecting it so that the striped bass, weakfish, bluefish and other species that need menhaden to survive and thrive get their share of menhaden first. History has proven if we do not have enough menhaden for the ecosystem… the system will fail.
DEM delivers on license program
At this week’s Rhode Island Marine Fisheries Council meeting the RI Department of Environmental Management (DEM) Division of Fish and Wildlife presented the first saltwater recreational fishing license program annual report. DEM is required to report annually on the program, revenues raised and how it will spend monies to promote the saltwater fishery in Rhode Island. About $250,000 net is expected to be in the license fund account from 2010 and 2011 license fees (it was decided to have funds accumulate in 2010). Most of the money is being spent to match federal fund grants. Suggestions in the annual report that were reviewed at the RIMFC Tuesday night meeting included funds for better data collection, boat ramp improvements and maintenance, funds for recreational fisheries management support staff, the artificial reef program, fish stock assessment support and funds for education, information and public outreach.
NOAA releases final report on groundfish sector
NOAA recently released the 2010 Final Report on the Performance of the Northeast Multispecies (Groundfish) Fishery. Findings from the report will be presented at the New England Fishery Management Council’s “lessons learned” workshop this week in Portland, Maine.
In a press advisory this week NOAA said the workshop is expected to yield important new recommendations for the groundfish fishery that NOAA and the Council can work to put in place. These actions, coupled with other actions underway at NOAA and through the Council, will help fishermen and fishing communities operate successfully despite low quotas required by Congress to end overfishing and rebuild stocks.
Sector management is part of that effort, as well as actions taken in the 2011 fishing year to improve the industry’s access to fish. Over the last year, NOAA moved quickly to increase catch levels based on new science on fish stocks and allowed fishermen to fish in some previously closed areas, in particular areas close to the shore where smaller vessels fish. NOAA and the Council are considering additional actions, such as allowing fishing in previously closed areas and rolling over unused quota to the following fishing year. Earlier this month NOAA agreed to fund at-sea monitoring through the end of the 2012 fishing year which ends on April 13, 2013.
The report shows that groundfish revenues decreased in 2010 compared to 2009. But overall, revenues to groundfish vessels, including revenues from non-groundfish species, increased. Despite lower catch limits required to end overfishing and rebuild stocks, the groundfish industry obtained more value from fewer fish landed and less fishing effort expended.
Where’s the bite
Striped bass bite continues off Block Island with reports of fish in the 40 pound range being taken with ells. Ken Ferrara of Ray’s Bait & Tackle, Warwick, reports a good bite in Apponaug Cove as anglers fish under schools of menhaden for both striped bass and bluefish. Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle, Providence, said, “The Providence River has been producing bass up to 45 inches… pogie and mackerel chunks are the preferred baits… Cape Cod Canal anglers report good fishing with a mix of bass and blues.” Ron Nalbandian reports on Monday, “No more that 30 yards offshore on Weekapaug Beach…(I caught) a bunch of school bass, the largest was 26 inches.” Ron was using 4” white shad as bait.
Tautog fishing remained good this week and last week. Gisele and Rich Golembeski caught several nice tautog while fishing rock piles near Whale Rock off Narragansett. Rich caught a great 8.5 pound fish and five in the 17” to 20” range. They used green crabs, cut in half in approximately 30 feet of water. Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle said, “Tautog fishing has been good in the Providence River at India Point Park, Conley Dock and structure throughout the river. Tautog fishing at the breakwater in Wickford has been productive as well.” Francis Fleet captains reported a good tautog bite Monday with most anglers catching their limit.
Cod fishing is fair when boats have been able to sail. Steve Medeiros, president of RISAA, who regularly tracks stock assessments said, “Have just received information that the ASMFC's benchmark cod assessment has come in, and it shows a huge drop in the stock. Supposedly 2 year classes have disappeared. If this holds to be true, they are talking about an 80-90% cut for everything north of Cape Cod (Gulf of Maine). I suppose this news will be released at the ASMFC meeting in two weeks.”

Efforts to enhance menhaden biomass working

Atlantic menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus) by Brian Gratwicke from Wikipedia

Efforts to enhance menhaden biomass seem to be working
This weekend I had a surreal experience in Greenwich Bay. There was no wind, it was foggy and a light gentle rain was falling when I found myself in the middle of a large menhaden pod. It had a diameter of about 40 yards. There were plenty of other pods (six that I found) in the same area, that were fifteen to thirty feet in diameter, but nothing this large. I miscalculated and gently drifted through this pod while fishing the edges. The pod was so large that when my boat was in the middle it was like being in the eye of a hurricane. Though there was no activity in the center, menhaden were swirling all around my boat with dorsal fins out of the water and an occasional bluefish crashing through the school. A menhaden pod this large in open water was something that I had not experienced in a long time.
These menhaden have been in Greenwich Bay for three weeks now. I also found them off Warwick Neck, Quidnesset Country Club and Quonset Point in North Kingstown. They were just about everywhere in the West Passage of Narragansett Bay. Last year menhaden commercial fishing boats were restricted from fishing north of Conimicut Light in the East Passage and not allowed to fish in Greenwich Bay with a boundary line from Warwick Light to Sandy Point. No official scientific proof but these efforts along with other regulations and the State’s commercial monitoring program seem to be working as the menhaden are thick in Greenwich Bay.
Why are menhaden important?
In a Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA) newsletter article (www.risaa.org), Dan Pedro relates that “Menhaden serve as roving filters, converting algae into energy and thus reducing nutrient loads”. Pedro continues to say that Atlantic menhaden occupy two distinct types of feeding niches during their lifetime: they are size-selective plankton feeders as larvae, and filter feeders as juveniles and adults. An adult menhaden, through its unique filtering gills, is able to process up to 4 gallons of water per minute or a million gallons of water every 180 days. Multiply this by the number of menhaden in Greenwich Bay alone this year and this is an amazing amount of water being filtered, a reduction of nutrients means fewer algae blooms and ultimately more oxygen for all fish.
In addition, menhaden have a great value to both the commercial and recreational fishery. Commercial fishermen harvest them as bait for lobster traps as well as fish sold to bait shops for recreational anglers. Recreational anglers use menhaden to catch striped bass and bluefish. Menhaden are an important food source for striped bass and bluefish. In fact, in a Chesapeake Bay study conducted several years ago a reduction in the menhaden biomass led to malnourished striped bass, which led to disease, specifically mycobacteriosis. Mycobacteriosis is a disease that reduced the number of young fish in the Chesapeake, and a disease that can be transmitted to fishermen from handling fish with sores as they can enter a human body through a cut or open wound (visit www.noflukefishing.blogspot.com for additional articles on the topic).
Do menhaden spawn in the Bay?
Jason McNamee, of the Fish and Wildlife Division of DEM, said last year at a menhaden fisheries advisory panel meeting that menhaden do spawn all year long up and down the east coast, that peak spawning occurs offshore in winter. However, he said that juvenile fish referred to as “peanut” size fish could not have migrated all the way from the North Carolina coast. The current understanding is that these fish could not have come from further than Long Island and could have come from fish spawning in and around Narragansett Bay. So protecting spawning fish in Narragansett Bay is very important to the vitality of this fishery.
How is this fishery managed?
Narragansett Bay, in its entirety, is designated a Menhaden Management Area and the fishery is monitored and managed by the Department of Environmental Management (DEM). Regulations include catch limits, equipment used to catch them (size and types of boats and nets) and fishing periods that govern all commercial menhaden operations.
How to fish a menhaden pod for bass and bluefish?
Snagging menhaden and using them live as bait or chucking them up and placing them on a hook as bait are two popular ways the fish are used to catch striped bass (and bluefish). Anglers often snag menhaden using a treble hook, quickly pulling it through a pod, hooking a fish and retrieving it. The menhaden is then placed on a hook through the nose or halfway down the back of the fish and put back in the water to swim with the school as bait. Many place the fish right back in the pod, others fish down current of the pod and get their live bait (or chucked fish) down to the bottom as bass generally feed on the bottom from scraps that fall after bluefish rip though the pods.
Scup season extended to December 31
This week, DEM extended the scup season. In a press release DEM said, “In order to increase access to the overstocked scup population and thereby afford relief and reduce the ecological peril faced by the tautog population which has been declared to be “overfished,” DEM Director Janet Coit has determined that it is necessary to adopt regulatory amendments via emergency rule making in order to extend the recreational season for scup until December 31.” A ten fish/day/angler limit is in effect, with a 10 ½” size limit.
Where’s the bite
Tuna fishing for giants still very slow with few fish being caught so far this year. Yellowfin tuna fishing has been OK. Frances Fleet had a great overnight tuna trip this weekend. Yellowfin tuna to 75 pounds were caught. Two swordfish were caught in the 100 to 125 pound range. Their next tuna trip is scheduled for the Columbus Day weekend. Visit them online for details at www.francesfleet.com .
Cod fishing has been slow this week. Some fish being caught on party boats but overall anglers have not aggressively targeted this species yet as striped bass, scup, sea bass and tautog are still all being fished.
Scup fishing remained good this weekend as the season has been extended by DEM. Anglers in Narragansett Bay as well as on party boats report a good scup bite. Many large fish being taken on the Seven B’s party boat this weekend.
Striped bass fishing in and around Narragansett Bay continues to improve. John Wurnner of John’s Bait & Tackle, North Kingstown said keeper striped bass have been taken in the East Passage using eels in the Providence River by angler Mike Swain of Coventry. Craig Castro at Erickson’s Bait & Tackle said, “Customers are catching bass using live menhaden between Prudence Island and Hope Island.” Greenwich Bay menhaden pods are attracting bluefish but there have been reports of some bass being taken too. Block Island bass bite slowed a bit this week. Fish caught on the Southwest side have been smaller than usual, in the 20 pound range rather than the 30 and 40 pound fish that were caught earlier in the month. By the end of the week, larger fish started to appear again. Bait of choice is still eels.
Bluefishing continues to pick up in Narragansett Bay with large fish now being caught in the West Passage from Greenwich Bay to Quonset and beyond as the bluefish feed on large and small pods of menhaden. Bluefish bite off coastal shores and at Block Island is strong as well.
Tautog fishing has gotten off to a slow start as anglers continue to target other available species. Fishing for tautog has been fair to good.